Paddle up! The Neches River Rally is Almost Here

The Big Thicket Association will host the 2nd Annual Neches River Rally Saturday, September 12th at the LNVA Saltwater Barrier boat launch on Bigner Road in Beaumont, Texas. Entry fees start at $35 for single paddlers and include lunch, official event T-shirt, goodies and local entertainment.

This canoe and kayak rally takes paddlers on one of the most popular paddling trails in Southeast Texas - The Cooks Lake to Scatterman trail is designated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as an Official Texas Paddling Trail. It follows Pine Island Bayou, Cooks Lake, Scatterman Lake, and the Neches River. The trail features the famous Madonna Tree with a paddle through a cypress-tupelo forest in the Big Thicket National Preserve.

This unique looped style trail eliminates shuttling issues since there is only one access point in and out of the river. Both private and rental canoes and kayaks are allowed.

TIP: Boat rental arrangements with outfitters must be made prior to event date. There will be no onsite rental availability day of event.

The Neches River Rally is a family friendly event. Entry fees and sponsorships help support the Big Thicket Association’s mission of promoting conservation, environmental education classes, and scientific research in the Big Thicket National Preserve. The Neches River Rally appreciates the generous support of its partners: Bernsen Law Firm, Lower Neches Valley Authority, JK Subaru, Port of Beaumont, TOTAL, WestRock, Beaumont Convention and Visitors Bureau, and members of Big Thicket Association.

For more information or to register for the Neches River Rally, visit www.bigthicket.org, or call the Neches River Rally office at 409-790-5399, or follow us on Facebook at Neches River Rally.

Author: National Park Service

The National Park Service is dedicated to conservation of the Big Thicket National Preserve. Located just north of Beaumont, Texas the Preserve consists of nine land units and six water corridors encompassing more than 112,000 acres. The Big Thicket, often referred to as a “biological crossroads,” is a transition zone between four distinct vegetation types – the moist eastern hardwood forest, the southwestern desert, the southeastern swamp, and the central prairies. Species from all of these different vegetation types come together in the Thicket, exhibiting a variety of vegetation and wildlife that has received national interest. For general information about Big Thicket National Preserve, visit www.nps.gov/bith or call the preserve visitor center at (409) 951-6700.